Question: When can I give my baby a bath?

Answer: You'll want to stick to sponge baths with a lukewarm washcloth for the first week or so, until your baby's umbilical cord stump falls off and the area heals. After that you really need to bathe a newborn only once or twice a week. (Babies just don't get that dirty until they start crawling around.) Use a soft soap and don't fill the tub too much — a few inches is all you need.